Mohamed Morsi pledges new era of 'security and stability' in Egypt

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi pledged a new era of "security and stability" on Wednesday after signing into law a new constitution that is backed by his Islamist allies.

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi signs into law the country's Islamist-backed constitutionPhoto: AP

By Ruth Sherlock in Beirut

8:37PM GMT 26 Dec 2012

In a television address to the nation, Mr Morsi congratulated Egyptians for endorsing the constitution through a national referendum, but admitted the country had gone through "disquieting" weeks of unrest.

He said he took "difficult" decisions in the lead-up to the adoption of the document, but insisted they were necessary to establish "a new era... with more security and stability."

"Yes, there were mistakes on both sides during this temporary period," the president said. "I bear the responsibility with you.

"I only took decisions for God and in the interests of the nation."

While he acknowledged the "respectable" proportion that voted against the text, he rejected opposition allegations of fraud and urged his opponents to engage in a national dialogue to resolve lingering tensions. He added that he would shuffle his government to tackle pressing economic problems.

"I will make all efforts, together with you, to push forward the economy which faces huge challenges and has great opportunities to grow," Mr Morsi said.

On the sometimes violent protests against his push for the new constitution, Mr Morsi said: "Unfortunately, some people didn't realise the difference between the right to express one's opinion and the recourse to violence to try to impose one's opinion by hindering public institutions."

More than 60 per cent of voters backed the constitution in a referendum, the government announced on Tuesday, although only a third of Egypt's 52 million strong electorate voted.

The new constitution grants the Islamist dominated Shura Council, the upper house of the Egyptian parliament, temporary powers to legislate and lay the groundwork for elections to be held within two months.

The liberal opposition however, says it betrays Egypt's 2011 revolution by dangerously mixing religion and politics.

Mohammed Mahsoub, the Egyptian Cabinet minister in charge of parliamentary affairs, yesterday said: "I congratulate the Egyptian people on behalf of the government for the passing of the constitution of the second republic, which establishes a modern democratic state where the people's voices are heard and where injustice, dictatorship, repression, nepotism and corruption take a back seat.

"At this critical time for the nation, this respected council is required to pass a set of laws for the state to complete building its institutions."

But Morsi's opposition - mostly made up of secularists, liberals and leftists, has rejected the new charter, which it sees as a tool by the Muslim Brotherhood and its Salafist allies to introduce strict Islamic sharia law on the country.

The effect, they fear, could give undue influence to religious clerics in lawmaking, and leave minority groups without adequate legal protection.

The head of the opposition National Salvation Front, Nobel peace prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei on Wednesday tweeted that the constitution was "void" because it conflicts with international law in regard to "freedom of belief, expression, etc".

The United States, which gives $1.3 billion a year to Egypt's influential military, has called on Morsi to work to "bridge divisions" with the largely secular opposition.

"We have consistently supported the principle that democracy requires much more than simple majority rule," acting State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said in a statement on Tuesday.

"We hope all sides will re-commit themselves to condemn and prevent violence."